Sample display rack

ABSTRACT

A sample display rack comprising one or more horizontal bars upon which hook-like members are affixed at evenly spaced intervals for purposes of receiving supporting handles and the like on individual samples of planar nature, such as rugs and carpet material, the hook-like members having receiving means for said handles which extend substantially horizontally and at similar acute angles to said bar so as to dispose the hanging samples in shingle fashion in which preferably substantially half of each planar sample is exposed to view within vertical planes. The samples readily may be removed from the hook-like members for further insepection or rearrangement. The rack may be permanently mounted adjacent a wall or independently supported from a floor surface.

ilnited States Patent Heli Mar. 18, 1975 [54] SAMPLE DISPLAY RACK 708,565 6/1941 Germany 21 1/46 83,876 7/1957 Denmark 211/113 [76] lnvemor- Larry South Queen 191,808 1/1923 United Kingdom 211/113 York, Pa. 17403 [22] Filed: June 1973 Primary Examiner-Roy D. Frazier [21] Appl. No.: 372,644 Assistant Examiner-Thomas J. Holko Attorney, Agent, or Firm-C. Hercus Just [52] U.S. Cl 211/45, 211/113, 248/301, 248/303 [51] int. Cl. .1 A47f 7/16 [57] ABSTRACT [58] Field of Search 211/45, 46, 47, 48, 113,

211/119, 124; 248/215, 301, 303 304 A sample display rack comprising one or more horizontal bars upon which hook-like members are affixed [561 Reference Cited at evenly spaced intervals for purposes of receiving UNITED STATES PATENTS supporting handles and the like on individual samples of planar nature, such as rugs and carpet material, the 5325 hook-like members having receiving means for said II608I758 11/1926 Alexandr a rid: IIIIIIif211/4o X h f which extend subsFamiauy horlzommy and 2.329.0xs 9 1943 Schram c1111.. 211 17 filmlh" acute angles to Smd bar $0 11S 10 dISPOSQ the 2,547,368 4/1951 Booth 1. 211/46 X hanging Samples in Shingle fashion in which Preferably 3.018.004 1/1962 Nesbitt .1 248/215 X substantially half of each planar sample is exposed to 3,235,218 2/1966 Graham 248/215 X view within vertical planes. The samples readily may 3339379 7/1967 Ihghram 211/113 X be removed from the hook-like members for further g it i insepection or rearrangement. The rack may be perrune e manently mounted adjacent a wall or independently 3,568,852 3/1971 Howard 211/113 supported from a floor Surface.

FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 188.039 12/1936 Switzerland 211/45 2 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures SAMPLE DISPLAY RACK BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION For many years, it has been customary in merchandising various household materials, such as rugs and carpets, wallpaper, drape fabrics, upholstery material and the like, to provide usually square sample panels thereof bound together in a stack within a so-called book. Many of these sample books are quite heavy and somewhat awkward to handle. Some salesmen support the books upon a suitable improvised stand and sequentially flip over the various samples while being observed by a customer. Such an operation is not only awkward but is quite unsatisfactory from the stand point of not being able to view any substantial number of said samples simultaneously, such as for comparison purposes as to color, quality, texture, etc. Much flipping of samples backward and foward usually is required before a final selection is made.

In the prior art, US. Pat. No. 3,568,852, to Fred Howard, entitled, Sliding Carrier Means, dated Mar. 9, 197 l, shows a horizontal bar upon which a number of slidable carriers or brackets are mounted for supporting the handles of books of samples in which a plurality of panels of material are mounted in channels within which one end of the plurality of samples are affixed. Said books of samples are of the conventional type referred to above. In some of the illustrations, it is pro posed that the books be mounted in angular disposition with respect to the supporting bar. However, at best, only a very limited number of samples are observable at any one time and there is no orderly arrangement of spacing between the slidable carriers for the sample books.

Substantial improvements over the relatively limited versatility of such prior art are afforded by the present invention, details of which are described hereinafter.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is the principal object of the present invention to provide a display rack having at least one horizontal bar upon which a series of similar hook-like members are fixedly secured at evenly spaced locations, each member having receiving means extending substantially horizontally and at similar acute angles to the bar, the spaces between the medians of said members being substantially equal to half the width of the planar samples to be supported upon said receiving means, whereby when a plurality of said similar planar samples are suspended upon said members, they will be disposed in vertically hanging condition and arranged shingle fashion relative to each other, whereby substantially one-half of each sample will be exposed to view and thereby render the entire assortment of samples readily observable simultaneously for selection purposes.

lt another object of the invention to form said hooklike members from sheet metal or similar material and one edge of each member is fixedly secured to one face of the supporting bar, said members projecting outwardly therefrom and terminating at the outer edge in a channel extending substantially horizontally and at similar acute angles to a vertical plane extending through the bar.

A further object of the invention is preferably to provide a bar which is reactangular in cross-section or at least has one vertical face to which said one edge of each of said hook-like members are fixed, such as by welding, so as to project outwared from said vertical face.

Another object of the invention is to provide said hooklike members which are formed from sheet material with portions which extend downwardly and outwardly from the secured edge of said members and thereby provide a surface which facilitates the engagement of suspending means on said samples with said members by guding said suspending'means into position upon the channel on each member.

Still a further object of the invention is to employ substantially rectangular, bail-like handles on each individual planar sample, and the length of the channels on said hook-like supporting members which receive said handles being commensurate in length with the horizontal portions of said handles on said samples when suspended upon said members.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a plurality of said bars, each having said series of hooklike supporting members thereon, the opposite ends of said bars being connected to vertical posts at evenly spaced intervals and parallel to each other, the vertical distances between said parallel bars being equal and at least as great as the vertical dimensions of said samples when suspended from said members, whereby a substantial number of different samples of similar size can be displayed simultaneously from all of said bars respectively in similar arrangements thereon.

Still another object of the invention is to provide another embodiment of hook-like members in which each comprises a similar, relatively short U-shaped rod of which the bight portions are disposed horizontally and fixed to the lower surface of said bar which preferably is rectangular and the lower surface is substantially hor izontal, the legs of said rods extending downwardly and terminating in similar upturned hooks to receive handle members upon said samples and support the samples in shingle fashion with respect to each other for viewing exposure of preferably about half of each sample simultaneously upon the entire rack.

Details of the foregoing objects and of the invention, as well as other objects thereof, are set forth in the following specification and illustrated in the accompany drawing comprising a part thereof.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a vertical elevation showing a sample display rack embodying the principles of the present invention, said embodiment of the rack comprising a plurality of horizontal bars and rows of samples respectively mounted thereon.

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the sample display rack shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view showing an individual hook-like member connected to a supporting bar and showing the manner in which the handle of an individual sample is supported thereby.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view of the bar and hook-like member shown in FIG. 3 as seen on the line 4-4 thereof.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary vertical elevation showing a front view of the bar and hook-like supporting member thereon illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4, and also showing, in phantom, an exemplary handle of a display sample supported by said hook-like member.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary plan view of another embodiment of hook-like supporting member from that illustrated in FIGS. l-5.

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view of the embodiment of hook-like member shown in FIG. 6 as seen on the line 7-7 thereof.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, it will be seen that the display rack of the present invention comprises a frame 10 which, in the specific illustration of said FIGURES, comprises a pair of vertical posts 12 which for example, may be made from metal tubes or otherwise, such as those which are square in cross-section. A plurality of horizontal bars 14 are spaced even distances apart in a vertical direction and the opposite ends of said bars are fixedly secured to the posts 12. Preferably, the bars 14 also comprise metal tubes, such as those which are square in cross-section but any other suitable shape or type of material may be used, as desired. Connection between the posts 12 and tubes 14 may be made by welding.

In the illustration of FIGS. 1 and 2, it also will be seen that the frame 10 is provided at the upper ends of the posts 12 with short horizontal brace members 16 which are fixedly connected to the upper ends of posts 12 and terminate at the opposite ends in bracket feet 18, which, for example, may be secured to the face of a vertical wall 20. Similarly, the lower ends of the posts 12 may also have anchoring feet 22 fixed thereto for connection to the floor surface 24, as shown especially in FIG. 1. However, within the purview of the invention, it also is to be understood that the entire rack may be positioned vertically upon the floor surface 24 without being anchored to a wall, for example, such as providing suitable support base brackets to the lower ends of the posts 12. However, in view of the fact that it is particularly intended that the rack comprising the present invention shall embrace the concept of supporting a very extensive number of individual samples simultaneously, the total weight of which conceivably can be substantial, such as when the samples are rug or carpet samples, it is preferred that the support for the frame 10 be substantial and firm so as to prevent accidents.

In the drawings of this application, as well as in the description herein, samples of rug or carpet materials have been shown but is is also to be understood that the principles of the invention apply equally to planar sample panels of other materials, such as fabrics, including upholstery fabric, roofing material, wallpaper, floor tile, and numerous other materials of the type which preferably may be displayed in an overall manner, simultaneously, for purposes of a customer making a se lection, for example. Under such circumstances, the individual samples preferably are of uniform shape and area and the upper edges thereof are provided with suitable support members 24 comprising sections preferably of uniform length of channel material formed either from metal, synthetic resin, wood orotherwise. The individual sample panels 26 are secured at the upper edges thereof within the channel means 24 by suitable means such as rivets or bolts 28. The support means for the sample panels 26 also include preferably rectangular-shaped handles 30, which may be molded from synthetic resin or otherwise formed from metal, if desired, the intermediate bight portion thereof preferably being relatively straight and parallel to the channel means 24. The opposite ends of the intermediate bight portions extend downwardly and are firmly connected at the terminal ends thereof to the channel means 24 so as to render each sample panel capable of being conveniently handled, as well as being supported by said handles, upon members fixed to the bars 14, details of which are as follows:

Several embodiments of hook-like supporting members are provided by the present invention and respectively are illustrated in FIGS. 1-5 and FIGS. 6 and 7. Referring to the embodiment of FIGS. 1-5, the hooklike supporting members 32 are formed from sheet metal, for example, of appropriate gauge and are formed, such as by stamping, into shapes which are best illustrated in FIGS. 3-5. From FIGS. 3 and 5, it will be seen that the opposite side edges of each member 32 are disposed substantially within parallel vertical planes transverse to the bars 14. The left-hand edge of each member is substantially longer than the right-hand edge as viewed in FIG. 4, and also evident from FIGS. 3 and 5. This is to permit the left-hand edges to extend both outward and downward from the front surfaces of bars 14, whereas the right-hand edges extend more downward than outward. Hence, the channel 38 of each member, which is integral with the lower edge thereof and is U-shaped in cross-section, is within a plane substantially parallel to and coincident with the horizontal lower surface of each bar 14, as is evident from FIGS. 4 and 5. The upper edge 34 of each member 32 is secured fixedly, such as by weldments, to the forward face of the horizontal bars 14. It also will be understood that if desired, the supporting members 32 may be formed from material other than metal and connection thereof to the bars 14 may be by other appropriate 32 which such as screws, bolts, cement or otherwise. As best seen from FIG. 4, the portion of each of members which extends outwardly and downwardly from the connected edge 34 thereof terminates in a substantially horizontal channel 38 which preferably, in crosssection, is complementary to the cross-sectional shape of the handles 30. Due to the left-hand edge of each member being substantially longer than the right-hand edge, the channels 38 are disposed at an acute angle to the axis of each of the bars 14 so that, when a plurality of the sample panels 26 and their supporting means are disposed upon the supporting members 32, they will be disposed shingle fashion as viewed from the front face, such shingle arrangement also being clearly indicated in FIG. 2. To further facilitate shaping the members 32 to dispose the channels 38 at the aforementioned acute angle to the front vertical faces of the bars 14, it will be seen from FIG. 5 that the upper edge of each member 32, which is welded to the bars 14, extends downward from the left-hand edge toward the right-hand edge. The angle between the channels 38 and thebars 14 is selected with respect to-the thickness of the sample panels 26 so that there is convenient space between adjacent panels to permit ready mounting of the samples upon the members 32, as well as removing the same therefrom when closer inspection of an individual sample is desired.

One of the salient features of the present invention is that the supporting members 32 are arranged in evenly spaced relationship to each other along the horizontal bars 14 and said members are fixedly connected thereto. Further, the members 32 are spaced so that the distance between the medians of said supporting members preferably is substantially about one-half of the overall width of the sample panels 26. Accordingly, when the samples are suspended by the handles 30 upon the supporting members 32, approximately onehalf of each sample will be clearly exposed to view in a satisfactory manner which conserves overall display space, while affording an appreciable expanse or area of each sample without interfering with adjacent samples. This dimensional arrangement is readily seen from FIGS. 1 and 2 with respect to the width of the sample panels and the distances between the medians of the supporting members 32. Also, the vertical distances between the parallel horizontal bars 14 are so selected with respect to the overall length of the sample panels and the supporting means 24 and 30 thereon that the lower edges of the samples do not appreciably overlap the row of samples therebelow. Preferably, the lower edges of the samples do not extend below the next bar 14 beneath the same.

The shingle fashion display arrangement is made pos sible by the particular shape of the supporting members 32, said shape being irregular. Further, in view of the downwardly and outwardly extending intermediate portions 36 of each of the members 32, it can be seen that the handles 30 of each sample may be quickly mounted upon the supporting members 32 by quickly disposing the handles upon such portions 36 and the sloping nature thereof will cause the sample to move by gravity downwardly into final position in the channel 38 on said members. Also, the length of the channels 38 is selected so as to comprise a major portion of the distance between the downwardly extending ends of the handles 30 on each of the sample panels 26 so as to insure accurate positioning of the panels with respect to supporting members 32.

From FIGS. 1 and 2, it will be seen that the bars 14 have been interrupted longitudinally to foreshorten the view in a horizontal direction. However, it readily can be appreciated that even when samples of rug material or carpets may be of a size such as of the order of or 12 inches vertically and 14 or 16 inches horizontally, a very substantial number of such sample panels may be displayed in a rack that may be in the order of be tween 10 and feet in length. Such dimensions, however, are furnished solely for purposes of exemplary illustration, rather than restriction. The material and dimensions of the frame members which support the display samples likewise are selected in accordance with the sizes and weights of the sample panels to be supported by the frame.

Referring to FIGS. 6 and 7, another embodiment of hooklike supporting members 40 are shown. Said members are fixedly connected to the lower face, for example, of the horizontal bars 14 of the frame 10. The members 40 may be formed from different types of materials, such as metal, synthetic resin, either tubular or solid, as desired. Preferably, a desired length of bar stock of such material is formed into a substantially U- shaped configuration comprising a horizontal bight portion 42 which is firmly secured to the lower face of the bar 14, as shown in FIG. 7. In the event the members 40 are formed from metal which is readily capable of being welded, said bight portions may be secured to the bars 14 by weldments 44. Such bight portion also is fixed to the bar 14 so that the opposite ends or legs 46 of the members 40 extend downwardly and terminate in preferably curved, upwardly extending hook members 48.

From FIG. 6, it will be seen that the member 40 also are disposed at an acute angle to the axis of the bar 14 so that when sample panels 26 are mounted thereon by disposing the handle 30 of each sample simultaneously upon the hook members 48, the plane of each downwardly extending sample panel 26 is at an acute angle to the vertical, and thereby provides the shingle fashion for mounting the sample panels thereon, similarly to the arrangement described above with respect to the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1-5.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that the present invention provides a sample display rack, providing means for uniformly displaying for view a substantial portion of the entire area of planar sample panels of material which hang vertically from supporting members individually provided for each sample at regularly spaced intervals, thereby providing substantially equal displayed area on each sample, the relationship of the spaces between the supporting members on the horizontal bars and the width of the panels being such that, preferably, approximately half of the width of each sample will be viewed simultaneously in an overall ver' tical arrangement so as to afford quick comparison, and thus, enhance selections of desired colors, textures, and other characteristics inherent to the particular type of material being displayed. The frame means by which the sample panels are supported include horizontal bars which may be fixed rigidly with respect to a display area, such as adjacent a vertical wall, or the same may be supported by end posts having appropriate bases engageable with the floor surface, for example, in a manher to prevent tilting or rocking of the frame during use.

While the invention has been described and illustrated. in its several preferred embodiments, it should be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the precise details herein illustrated and described since the same may be carried out in other ways falling within the scope of the invention as illustrated and described.

I claim:

1. The combination of a display rack for simultaneously supporting a substantial number of elongated supporting members adapted to be connected to one edge of and support a plurality of planar samples of material of similar predetermined areas and shapes but different visual characteristics, said supporting members each having a rectangular bail-like handle provided with a straight bight portion and the ends thereof extending downward and connected to one edge of said supporting members midway of the opposite ends thereof, and said rack comprising a bar having at least one flat vertical surface, means adapted to support said bar substantially horizontally, a series of similar hooklike members formed from rigid sheet material and each having one edge fixedly secured to said flat verti cal surface of said bar at evenly spaced locations; each hook-like member having opposite side edges located within substantially parallel vertical planes transverse to said bar, one side edge of each hook-like member being longer than the other, the longer edge extending outward and downward from said flat vertical surface of said bar and said shorter edge extending substantially only downward, the lower edge of said member terminating in an elongated channel which is U-shaped in cross-section and disposed within a horizontal plane parallel to and substantially coincident with the lower surface of said bar and said longer and shorter edges of said member disposing the axes of said channels at similar acute angles to said flat vertical surface of said bar to receive said handles of said supporting members to support the same thereon, the spaces between the medians of said channels of said hook-like members being substantially equal to half the width of said supporting members for said samples to be supported upon said channels of said hook-like members, whereby when a plurality of said similar planar samples are suspended upon said hook-like members, they will be disposed within vertical planes arranged shingle fashion relative to each other and substantially one-half of each sample will be exposed to view to render the entire assortment of samples readily observable for selection and the position of said handles midway of the upper edges of said supporting members insuring horizontal suspension of said upper edges of said samples relative to said hooklike members.

2. The rack according to claim 1 in which said hooklike members are formed from sheet metal of substantially uniform length and the upper edge of each hooklike member being secured to said bar by weldments, and the ends of the upper edges of said members nearest the longest side edges thereof being closer to the upper edge of said bar than the opposite ends of said upper edges of said members, thereby facilitating the positioning of the channels of said hook-like members angularly to said flat vertical surface of said bar. 

1. The combination of a display rack for simultaneously supporting a substantial number of elongated supporting members adapted to be connected to one edge of and support a plurality of planar samples of material of similar predetermined areas and shapes but different visual characteristics, said supporting members each having a rectangular bail-like handle provided with a straight bight portion and the ends thereof extending downward and connected to one edge of said supporting members midway of the opposite ends thereof, and said rack comprising a bar having at least one flat vertical surface, means adapted to support said bar substantially horizontally, a series of similar hook-like members formed from rigid sheet material and each having one edge fixedly secured to said flat vertical surface of said bar at evenly spaced locations; each hook-like member having opposite side edges located within substantially parallel vertical planes transverse to said bar, one side edge of each hook-like member being longer than the other, the longer edge extending outward and downward from said flat vertical surface of said bar and said shorter edge extending substantially only downward, the lower edge of said member terminating in an elongated channel which is U-shaped in cross-section and disposed within a horizontal plane parallel to and substantially coincident with the lower surface of said bar and said longer and shorter edges of said member disposing the axes of said channels at similar acute angles to said flat vertical surface of said bar to receive said handles of said supporting members to support the same thereon, the spaces between the medians of said channels of said hook-like members being substantially equal to half the width of said supporting members for said samples to be supported upon said channels of said hook-like members, whereby when a plurality of said similar planar samples are suspended upon said hook-like members, they will be disposed within vertical planes arranged shingle fashion relative to each other and substantially one-half of each sample will be exposed to view to render the entire assortment of samples readily observable for selection and the position of said handles midway of the upper edges of said supporting members insuring horizontal suspension of said upper edges of said samples relative to said hook-like members.
 2. The rack according to claim 1 in which said hook-like members are formed from sheet metal of substantially uniform length and the upper edge of each hook-like member being secured to said bar by weldments, and the ends of the upper edges of said members nearest the longest side edges thereof being closer to the upper edge of said bar than the opposite ends of said upper edges of said members, thereby facilitating the positioning of the channels of said hook-like members angularly to said flat vertical surface of said bar. 